


Fading Connections

by lilnaugrim



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fade Connection, M/M, Magic, Present!AU, Red Templars, Sparring, Teaching Dorian a Lesson, apology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 19:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15419847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: Red Templars are a real threat but Dorian Pavus seems to think he'll never be in a magic-less scenario. Cullen has to take measures he doesn't want to in order to prove the threat is real.Current time AU





	Fading Connections

“Again,” Cullen called as he went back to his own boxing stance. The mage across from him was panting and bruised. Dorian assumed his position tiredly and readied himself. Cullen began to circle as he watched the mage. Dorian was getting sloppy with his jabs and dances as they’d been at it all morning. Cullen had made it mandatory for all the mages to learn hand to hand combat in case the need ever arose that they’d need it. Dorian took his jab and Cullen easily side stepped it. He let the mage attack a few times as he dodged them and finally took his own. He knocked Dorian on the side of his head; he didn’t hurt him but he threw his balance off and so the mage went down onto his ass. Dorian growled at the hit he should have seen coming.

“Again,” Cullen said once more. Dorian grumbled at it but he stood up; swaying and staggering with exhaustion. Cullen was already in his stance and waiting. He put his fists up and waited for Cullen to jab first this time. He dodged it and went to hit his Commander but Cullen grabbed his arm as he side-stepped and hit right in the middle of Dorian’s back which sent him to the floor. Cullen sighed; it’d been a rough day for the mage.

“Again,” he said softly, this time he waited a bit longer as Dorian tried to get up.

“No,” Dorian finally spoke up. He’d been quiet for the majority of it; trying his best to focus. He’d been having trouble with this part of the training and was becoming frustrated with it.

“I said again,” Cullen countered. “You don’t get to choose in battle,” he went to attack the still seated mage but Dorian used his magic to stop him in the air and then flatten him to the floor with a hold. “Dorian,” he warned. “No magic,” he said through gritted teeth as he was pressed into the floor with the near unbearable pressure.

“I’m done, I’m done with all of this,” he stood up on shaking legs and went to leave the ring; Cullen still pinned.

“You don’t get to decide when training is done,” Cullen tried to get up but it was of no use; he no longer had his Templar abilities to quell the magic.

“I’m done, I will never be in this situation,” Dorian released him when he grabbed his duffle bag and went to the lockers to take a quick shower. Cullen sighed and looked at the clock on the wall; it was only five minutes till the hour and the session would have been over. He sat up to watch the tired mage enter the lockers. Dorian had been working hard; he wanted to be good at it but it wasn’t something that came easy to him for once. Cullen blamed it on being magical his whole life; he relied on it too much.

               Cullen unwrapped his hands and sighed as he thought to himself. He had to get Dorian in gear but he didn’t want to scar him so badly that he’d hate his friend forever. He had something in mind but he wasn’t sure he wanted to go through with it. Dorian came out of the lockers a while later; freshened and in new clothes.

“Good job today,” Cullen attempted to give him some praise.

“Don’t lie to me,” Dorian snapped at him as he walked by with his duffle bag shouldered.

“Hey,” Cullen went to catch his mage, “wait,” he took his hand to stop him. Dorian glanced back at him but he stopped with his request and watched as Cullen came to his front to cup his cheek. “Don’t put yourself down so much, you’ll get there,” he leaned forward to kiss his lover’s lips. Dorian only pulled away after their lips had barely touched and went around Cullen to leave him. The mage’s mood wasn’t rare but it was an uncommon one. He sighed and shook his head as he watched the one he loved, walk out the door of his training building.

               Cullen sat in his office later that night; he hadn’t seen nor heard from Dorian even though he invited him to dinner. He tapped his pen as he kept thinking about his plan. There were many reasons or scenarios where a mage would be without his magic but Dorian was adamant that his lineage was pure and strong over others. Cullen had to put a notch in the mage’s pedestal to show him it could be cut down. He rubbed at his face before he pulled out Barris’s number and started to call him to tell him that his plan was going to be put into motion. Barris wasn’t a fan of his plan either but he’d do it because it was Cullen asking. He made sure to tell him that they wouldn’t hurt the mage bad or do anything sexually; just a good old fashioned scare tactic. Barris agreed and they hung up. Dorian would likely be at the tavern that night and he planned to have the Templar’s terrorize him then.

               It was quiet for most of the night as Cullen laid in his bed that he typically shared with Dorian. His heart rushed when he heard a scream just outside the gates of Skyhold. He knew exactly whose it was. He knew in his heart that this was wrong; it was so wrong but how else was he to get through to the mage if he wouldn’t listen? It was supposed to be a demonstration of what could happen if he wasn’t connected to the fade. Cullen knew how mage’s would react sometimes when they were cut from the fade connection; it was terrifying. No more sounds were heard through the night as Cullen tried his best to sleep. This night could turn out terrible or it could do what he planned and kick Dorian into gear.

               Cullen prepared himself for the day in the morning. He didn’t shave per Dorian’s request to grow out his beard a little more; he had enough scruff to cover him evenly now and he had to admit that it looked good. He went down to the mess hall to grab some food before going to his building to see who he had for training today. He had to smile when he saw his mage at the far end of his gym beating the snot out of one of the punching bags. Cullen set his bag down and cautiously started to approach the mage. It was clear that he was in distress and angry with his grunts and yells at the swinging bag. He hit it so hard that the bag split open and all the sand poured out. Cullen was shocked; he’d done that before but only once when he was much younger. The mage stood there huffing and puffing with his exertion.

“Good morning?” Cullen greeted quietly. Dorian looked up at him with rage in his eyes.

“You!” he growled and started for Cullen. “It was all _your_ fault!” he growled as he approached threateningly and threw a punch at Cullen. The Commander, being so well trained, knew what Dorian was going to do as he’d taken the first step. Cullen avoided the hit but Dorian tried again and again. Cullen ducked and dodged the throws until Dorian was going to throw his weight into it. Cullen grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder to the floor. Dorian laid there panting as tears rolled from his eyes. “How could you let them?” Dorian sobbed as he rolled to his side to sob.

“You keep telling me that you’ll never be in this situation, that you’d avoid other Templars but we’re fighting a war _against_ Red Templars. They all have the same abilities that we do—some of them more with the red Lyrium they’ve consumed,” Cullen explained. “You’ve never experienced magical suppression and since I can no longer do it…I had to find help. I needed you to know that this threat is real,” he said as he watched Dorian start to sit up onto his knees; facing away from Cullen. Cullen sighed and walked around him and towards his desk at the front that he used as a mini office when he needed it. He wanted to give Dorian time to gather himself. He started to organize his papers and look at the schedule to see he was sparring with Cassandra in half an hour. She’d be in soon to stretch and warm up, she was always early.

“It was awful,” Dorian’s voice was small behind him. Cullen looked over his shoulder to see Dorian standing there with his hand on his other arm and head down. “It was…it was terrifying,” he whimpered. Cullen turned and cautiously went up to his mage. He cupped Dorian’s head in his hand and lifted him so he could kiss the sweaty forehead. Dorian still had tears streaming down his face; they’d been running for some time now. “It was awful!” he repeated as he crawled into Cullen’s embrace when he welcomed it. Cullen enveloped his mage and kissed him where he could.

“I love you darling. I don’t want to lose you,” Cullen told him his reasoning. “I’ve seen what it does to mages and I needed you to understand that you might lose your magic to the Templars,” he whispered. “I am so sorry,” he kept petting Dorian and kissing him. “I’m sorry,” he repeated a few more times. “You should rest today, you’ve done a lot of work and I’m proud of you,” he pulled away to look at Dorian’s bruised face. The mage looked away from him; his eye was bruised and puffy, his bottom lip was busted at the corner, and he had another bruise blooming on his jaw. “Rest for the day, I’ll come find you for lunch and maybe we can head to my room?” he offered. Dorian glanced at him but he only shrugged. “I’ll see how you feel first, hm?” he corrected at Dorian’s shrug. The mage nodded this time. “Alright,” he agreed and kissed Dorian’s forehead again.

               Cullen was distracted in his spar with Cassandra; Dorian had stayed to work on his moves more and spar with everyone he could. Cullen made him stop to eat and drink; explaining the importance of food to keep up his strength. Dorian didn’t do a lot of talking with him but focused on watching others spar and their techniques. Cullen coached his afternoon beginner class and allowed Dorian to spar with some of them as long as he was going to take it easy. The mage had toned it down and spoke more as he felt better through the day. He jeered and chuckled as he evaded the student’s jabs.

“No, no, stand like this or I’ll just push you down,” Dorian instructed the student. The young Templar just rolled her eyes at him and did as she pleased. Dorian gave her a smug look when she looked up to him from the floor after he’d pushed her just as he said. “Again,” he called to her. She stood up and readied herself again but this time, she did it according to Dorian’s standards. He tagged her once more and called again. They went on for a few more rounds until Cullen called to switch up their partners. Dorian gave a gracious bow to his partner and a smile before she nodded to him and left his ring. Dorian smiled at the newcomer and greeted him with a similar bow.

“Kremicius!” he smiled at his fellow Vint.

“Dorian,” Krem nodded to him.

“How fairs your training?” he asked politely. The two had been on decent terms since they’d met, neither minding the other.

“Steady as she goes,” Krem shrugged. “You seem like you’ve got somethin’ up your sleeve though…” he was warry of the mage. “No magic, yeah?” he asked.

“You think I’d ever stoup to such levels?” Dorian scoffed. “Come now, ready yourself,” he directed the younger Vint. Krem was mostly playing along for the student’s benefits; he filled in when there was an odd number of people and directed others in Iron Bull’s way of fighting with mag-field shields and their guns.

“Think you’ll ever get into the Commander’s pants?” Krem chuckled as if it were some sort of secret.

“What makes you think I haven’t already?” Dorian asked as he jabbed and dodged as they danced in their ring.

“I know you types; you’d be boasting about it for weeks and that has yet—“ he dodged a well-placed fist, “to happen,” he tagged Dorian first. The mage grumbled about it but they reset. “So by my calculations; he hasn’t fucked you yet which would account for why you’ve been acting so strangely today,” he mentioned.

“That has nothing to do with my behavior for the day,” Dorian scoffed at him and threw his jab; missing Krem when the Vint dodged it.

“So you admit it then?” Krem grinned.

“I don’t believe it is any of your business,” Dorian threw again and missed. He was starting to become frustrated with the banter.

“Ah, so you haven’t then,” Krem jeered once again as he tagged Dorian’s shoulder. The mage grunted with the hit and stepped back as he rubbed it out.

“Would you kindly shut up and get to fighting?”

“What, you think your enemies won’t make fun of you either?” Krem huffed. “If you want to be the best then you have to learn to shut out the talking and focus better,” he tagged Dorian again. “But by the looks of it, you aren’t learning very quickly,” he chuckled. Dorian didn’t wait until Krem was ready again; he growled at the Vint and threw his punch directly at his face. Krem didn’t see this one coming and took it full on. Dorian watched in slow motion as his fellow Vint fell down flat to his back; stunned with the hit. Dorian growled at him again and went to his corner instead. His neck hairs bristled when he felt Krem getting up with his own anger. He stepped to the side when he felt the air moving to avoid the throw. He twisted around as Krem was in mid-punch and hit right in the middle of his back to throw off his balance. Krem went down again. Dorian felt like he could predict the movements of his friend; they were easier now that Krem was angry. Dorian twisted and turned, dodged and evaded, he threw jabs to the side and danced around the angry Vint before he finally gave his ending jab to Krem’s back that sent him flying to the ground, this time face first. The Vint laid there for a few moments; too hurt and tired to move. Dorian smiled to himself as he watched the exhausted Vint lay there in his agony.

               It was near the end of the day; the sun had set and most of the hold was at dinner now. The gym had cleared for all except Dorian and Cullen. Cullen was at his front desk; he’d just taken a shower as well and was just toweling off his hair as he read through a few pieces of paper. Dorian shouldered his duffle bag and went up to his lover with a smirk; he could do this. He set his bag down near the ring and called to his lover.

“One more before we retire for the day?” Cullen looked up to the Vint who was holding the rope open for them. He set his towel down and sighed.

“Are you sure? You’ve done a lot of work today—“

“Into the ring, amatus,” Dorian cut him off. Cullen looked at him but he nodded and slipped in. Dorian followed him in and they assumed their positions. “Don’t go easy,” he said. “I want everything.” Cullen nodded to him before getting into his zone. Cullen’s first jab Dorian evaded. Cullen tried to keep from smiling; his mage was learning. Another jab and Dorian knocked it to the side as he jabbed out and hit Cullen in the chest. Cullen was shocked; he looked to the mage who had a smile growing on his face. “Again,” he called. Cullen grinned and assumed his position.

               The two sparred and tagged each other nearly equally. Dorian growled as he decked Cullen in the cheek and sent him to the floor. He stared down at his teacher who was rubbing at his sore jaw now from flat on his back.

“I did it!” he exclaimed as he gave a big grin at his triumph. He yelped as he was swiped and fell to his back with a huff of air.

“Don’t forget to watch their feet,” Cullen chuckled as he crawled up over his lover to smile down at him. He leaned down to give him a languid kiss. Dorian’s hands instantly came up to frame Cullen’s face and smooth back into his golden hair to caress him. When the kiss broke Dorian pressed his hand to Cullen’s chest to get him to move. Dorian followed him and they turned over so Dorian was on top. “I’m very proud of you,” Cullen reached to push the curled hair back. “But I am sorry for doing what I did,” he sighed.

“I’ve…never experienced something like that,” Dorian sighed as he pressed into the hand to self-pet. “I’m sorry for pressing you to do that. I understand what you were trying to teach me,” he purred when Cullen pet him willingly and caressed him.

“So, just listen to me in the future and I won’t have to do things like that, okay?” Cullen tried to bargain with him. He gave a small moan when Dorian slid his hips over his so he could straddle his hips and rub against him.

“I’ll do my best, I can’t guarantee I will listen to everything though,” he chuckled and gave a breathy moan as he rubbed himself against his partner.

“Fine, at least listen to me about Templar things and combat training,” Cullen said before pulling Dorian down to kiss him wholly.

“I will,” Dorian whispered between a kiss. The two kissed fervently and grabbed each other’s body as the mage continued his slow rut against Cullen’s hips; their erections stirring. “I’ll listen as long as you listen to me about sex things,” he grinned. Cullen huffed at him; the mage had been trying to get him to fuck him for a few weeks now. They’d gotten each other off plenty with hands and mouths but Cullen had yet to let him go further.

“I just don’t understand how it can be enjoyable for you,” he mentioned.

“I _make_ it enjoyable,” Dorian continued his rutting still; going slower to pull a small moan from the Commander.

“How?”

“Easily,” Dorian kissed him and trailed them down his neck to Cullen’s collar bone visible. “You recall that time I used my finger to…milk you?” he asked. “I pet that wonderful little organ to make you cum all over yourself,” he chuckled at Cullen’s blush.

“Well…yeah.”

“Mm, good memory, hm?” Dorian grinned when he got up to look down at his lover; still rubbing his erection against Cullen’s. Cullen’s shy smile told him all he needed to know. “I position myself so you hit that little piece of heaven each time you enter me, of course, it doesn’t always work but just the thought of it is enough for me. I like the feeling of having you inside of me; owning me and making me yours as you take me,” he explained; watching Cullen’s flush deepen as he spoke. “It feels good to know that it feels just as good for you; that my body can turn you on so much that you cum inside of me and mark me as yours,” he bent down to kiss Cullen’s lips. “That is why I want to have sex with you; so I can finally be yours and only yours.”

“I like the sound of that; mine,” Cullen chuckled.

“Of course you would; you Ferelden’s mark everything,” Dorian grinned in return.

“And you Vint’s don’t? Didn’t you tell me something about one of your tallest buildings has the architect’s initials on the front of the building in giant letters for all to see?” he arched his eyebrow.

“That’s different, that’s art.”

“It’s marking.”

“Art.”

“Marking,” Cullen pushed the two of them over again to roll onto his lover. Cullen quieted him by forcing a kissing onto his lips as he went to speak again. He pulled his knees up so he could balance and rut against the mage as his legs were splayed out in submission. The two were quiet other than the smacking of lips and little moans as they rocked together and panted between kisses with wanting.

“Hey, no sex in the gym please,” a voice spooked the two of them. Dorian growled towards the Inquisitor who only smirked at the two of them.

“Everyone is at dinner, shouldn’t you be with them?” Cullen spat at him.

“Shouldn’t the two of you?” Max countered.

“This is _my_ gym,” Cullen growled.

“It’s alright amatus,” Dorian quieted him. “Let’s go someplace a little more comfortable,” he offered.

“You really should eat first,” Cullen sighed as he pushed back to kneel. Dorian grabbed at him but he missed and so he pouted. “Food first, then we can go have sexy times,” he said quietly and with a smile; his blush still riding high on his cheeks.

“Only,” Dorian sat up to pull him into a kiss, “if you promise me you’ll fuck me tonight,” he whispered. Cullen sighed and looked away. “What did I tell you earlier?” he asked, “you have to trust me too—it is a two way street after all. And besides, with what you’ve put me through, I deserve this,” he added.

“You’re right,” Cullen sighed with a nod. Dorian’s body froze still for a few moments as he recalled the feeling before he gave a shiver and spoke up.

“I…never want that to happen again. I’m honestly not sure if I could even fight after that happens…” Dorian quivered; his interest gone as well. “But…I want to learn everything I can, maybe…maybe I can build up some sort of tolerance to it?” he asked.

“Are you suggesting that you try it again to build up immunity?” Cullen asked; worried.

“Not an immunity, but perhaps it won’t be as such of a strange feeling if we did it more often with my knowledge of what is going to come,” he shrugged. “If…if it made me a better fighter…then…we could try it,” he quivered again; scared.

“We’ll talk more about that later. I can’t imagine any mage could subdue the feeling with training but if we could…perhaps it could be something we could train our other mages to do,” Cullen agreed. “But…for now, let’s grab something to eat,” he pulled away to stand. He offered his hand but Dorian had already gotten to his knees and scooted towards Cullen to shove his face into his crotch. “Maker!” Cullen nearly came in his pants in surprise.

“You know what I want to eat,” Dorian looked up at him with a smirk.

“Andraste save me.” Cullen knew he was in trouble for the next week at least, if not longer for what he’d done.


End file.
